Discussion:
MGA 5.1 Laptop VMware
(too old to reply)
Pinnerite
2017-04-13 15:14:25 UTC
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This is a 32-bit system so only 'old' versions of VMware Player/Workstations
can be installed. I chose 6.0.3, the version previously installed.
It installed but would not build any of the modules that it does on every
first execution.

Only someone who ha mastered this will be able to help.
--
Mageia 5.1 for x86_64, Kernel:4.4.59-desktop-1.mga5
KDE version 4.14.5 on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition.
Doug Laidlaw
2017-04-14 09:43:44 UTC
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Post by Pinnerite
This is a 32-bit system so only 'old' versions of VMware Player/Workstations
can be installed. I chose 6.0.3, the version previously installed.
It installed but would not build any of the modules that it does on every
first execution.
Only someone who ha mastered this will be able to help.
Being 32-bit is only half the story. I installed a very old release of
Mandriva to get the modules of that time. It wouldn't run my new video
card, even in vesa mode.

In your case, the modules you are trying to build may not match the
installed kernel. And although you may not want updates, you need to
install missing dependencies --if you can find a mirror! The whole
distro doesn't fit on the DVDs. The development team have to ask
themselves what to put in, and what to leave out, to make room for the
new stuff.

Really, it sounds like a question for a VMware forum.

HTH,

Doug.
Doug Laidlaw
2017-04-14 09:52:52 UTC
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Post by Doug Laidlaw
Really, it sounds like a question for a VMware forum.
The reason why I say that is, that your target is to get VMware up and
running. The host system is a means to that end. So the place to ask
is a VMware group. In one sense, it isn't a Mageia question, because
the Linux aspect is not specific to any distro. [That is where I find
the Ubuntu forums so handy.] Anyway, you haven't given us any details
to allow a more specific answer.

Doug.
Pinnerite
2017-04-14 10:17:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Doug Laidlaw
Post by Doug Laidlaw
Really, it sounds like a question for a VMware forum.
The reason why I say that is, that your target is to get VMware up and
running. The host system is a means to that end. So the place to ask
is a VMware group. In one sense, it isn't a Mageia question, because
the Linux aspect is not specific to any distro. [That is where I find
the Ubuntu forums so handy.] Anyway, you haven't given us any details
to allow a more specific answer.
Doug.
Installing VMware workstation was no problem but when it comes up it says
several modules need to be created. The matching kernel source and devel
files were installed. When it it attempts to compile them it fails and
stores the results in a log file. The log file provides no details as to
he failure.

In 2014 when I last sought advice on the VMware Communiity Forum I was told
(quite helpfully) that Mageia was not a supported platform.

I somehow overcame the problem. It related if I remember correctly to a
missing .h file. I found one matching the requirement with successful
results.

Oddly enough, the only reason I need this is to bring up a VM copy of
Windows already present on the machine so that my wife can back up her
iPhone using iTunes.

I did try installing it under wine a few years ago but failed.
--
Mageia 5.1 for x86_64, Kernel:4.4.59-desktop-1.mga5
KDE version 4.14.5 on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition.
Doug Laidlaw
2017-04-14 15:23:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pinnerite
Post by Doug Laidlaw
Post by Doug Laidlaw
Really, it sounds like a question for a VMware forum.
The reason why I say that is, that your target is to get VMware up and
running. The host system is a means to that end. So the place to ask
is a VMware group. In one sense, it isn't a Mageia question, because
the Linux aspect is not specific to any distro. [That is where I find
the Ubuntu forums so handy.] Anyway, you haven't given us any details
to allow a more specific answer.
Doug.
Installing VMware workstation was no problem but when it comes up it says
several modules need to be created. The matching kernel source and devel
files were installed. When it it attempts to compile them it fails and
stores the results in a log file. The log file provides no details as to
he failure.
In 2014 when I last sought advice on the VMware Communiity Forum I was told
(quite helpfully) that Mageia was not a supported platform.
Well, at least they were honest! But that means only that they
can't help you.
It shouldn't mean that Mageia won't work. But the Kodi forum are
like that. If you
aren't building within Ubuntu (not even Mint) they virtually tell
you to get lost.

I njust noticed that there is an xorg video driver for VMware.
That must mean
that Linux generally is supported. If the log doesn't help, does
the journal?

I tried VMware years ago and couldn't get it to install. You have more
experience with it than me.

Doug.
--
Pinnerite
2017-04-14 23:03:40 UTC
Permalink
I decided to find a later VMware 32-bit package (probably the last). It is
more forthcoming. It says it cannot install the header files.

urpmi kernel-devel tells me:
kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.i586 is already installed
as is the source:
kernel-source-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.noarch is already installed

I have to enter its location.

Where is it?
Jim Beard
2017-04-15 00:09:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pinnerite
I decided to find a later VMware 32-bit package (probably the last). It
is more forthcoming. It says it cannot install the header files.
kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.i586 is already installed as
kernel-source-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.noarch is already installed
I have to enter its location.
Where is it?
kernel-source-* is normally installed in /usr/src/kernel-source-*
Your may have additional kernel source directories there.

Cheers!

jim b.
--
UNIX is not user-unfriendly, it merely expects users to be computer-
friendly.
David W. Hodgins
2017-04-15 02:03:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pinnerite
I decided to find a later VMware 32-bit package (probably the last). It is
more forthcoming. It says it cannot install the header files.
kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.i586 is already installed
kernel-source-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.noarch is already installed
I have to enter its location.
Where is it?
The kernel-source package is only needed if you will be compilining
your own kernel. It is not needed for compiling kernel modules.

What does "uname -r" show?

I'm not familiar with vmware, but if it needs a kernel module running
on the host, and the host is running a 64 bit kernel, then it will
need the module to be compiled for the 64 bit kernel.

If you're using the kernel-server-latest, then the
kernel-server-devel-latest package is appropriate. Replace server with
desktop or desktop586, if appropriate, based on the output of uname -r.

There is also the kernel-userspace-headers package, though that is
for compiling programs accessing the running kernel, not for compiling
kernel modules.

You need to post the actual error messages from vmware, not a summary
of what they may mean.

Regards, Dave Hodgins
--
Change ***@nomail.afraid.org to ***@teksavvy.com for
email replies.
Pinnerite
2017-04-15 21:34:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by David W. Hodgins
Post by Pinnerite
I decided to find a later VMware 32-bit package (probably the last). It
is more forthcoming. It says it cannot install the header files.
kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.i586 is already installed
kernel-source-4.4.59-1.mga5-1-1.mga5.noarch is already installed
I have to enter its location.
Where is it?
The kernel-source package is only needed if you will be compilining
your own kernel. It is not needed for compiling kernel modules.
What does "uname -r" show?
I'm not familiar with vmware, but if it needs a kernel module running
on the host, and the host is running a 64 bit kernel, then it will
need the module to be compiled for the 64 bit kernel.
If you're using the kernel-server-latest, then the
kernel-server-devel-latest package is appropriate. Replace server with
desktop or desktop586, if appropriate, based on the output of uname -r.
There is also the kernel-userspace-headers package, though that is
for compiling programs accessing the running kernel, not for compiling
kernel modules.
You need to post the actual error messages from vmware, not a summary
of what they may mean.
Regards, Dave Hodgins
Thank you, the source was installed on the belt-and-&-braces principle but
it didn't help.

On this machine I had to run a 32-bit version of Mageia 5.1 and an older
version of VMware as they no longer make 32-bit versions.

The reason for my seemingly naive question about location derives from the
Error dialog returned by VMware. Here is the unexpurgated version:

"Before you can run VMware Player, several modules must be compiled and
loaded into the running kernel.

Kernel Headers 4.4.59-server-1.mga5

Kernel headers for version 4.4.59-server-1.mga5 were not found. If you
installed them in a non-default path you can specify the path below.
Otherwise refer to your distribution's documentation for installation
instructions and click Refresh to search again in default locations.

Location [/usr/src/kernel-44.4.59-server-] [Browse] [Refresh]
[Cancel] [Install]"

The square brackets above indicate (1) a scrollable data entry field and (2)
four buttons.

uname -r of course returned the expression following 'Kernel Headers] above.

Regards, Alan
--
Mageia 5.1 for x86_64, Kernel:4.4.59-desktop-1.mga5
KDE version 4.14.5 on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition.
David W. Hodgins
2017-04-15 22:04:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pinnerite
The reason for my seemingly naive question about location derives from the
"Before you can run VMware Player, several modules must be compiled and
loaded into the running kernel.
Kernel Headers 4.4.59-server-1.mga5
Kernel headers for version 4.4.59-server-1.mga5 were not found. If you
installed them in a non-default path you can specify the path below.
Otherwise refer to your distribution's documentation for installation
instructions and click Refresh to search again in default locations.
Location [/usr/src/kernel-44.4.59-server-] [Browse] [Refresh]
[Cancel] [Install]"
The square brackets above indicate (1) a scrollable data entry field and (2)
four buttons.
The location should be /usr/src/kernel-4.4.59-server-1.mga5 which is
from the package kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5.

If the length of the field is a problem, you should be able to create
a symlink pointing to that directory, and use the symlink in the
vmware setup. Just have to remember to change the symlink when a new
kernel update is installed.

If that fails, it will require some debugging to find out what file
it's actually looking for.

Regards, Dave Hodgins
--
Change ***@nomail.afraid.org to ***@teksavvy.com for
email replies.
Pinnerite
2017-04-16 11:03:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by David W. Hodgins
Post by Pinnerite
The reason for my seemingly naive question about location derives from
"Before you can run VMware Player, several modules must be compiled and
loaded into the running kernel.
Kernel Headers 4.4.59-server-1.mga5
Kernel headers for version 4.4.59-server-1.mga5 were not found. If you
installed them in a non-default path you can specify the path below.
Otherwise refer to your distribution's documentation for installation
instructions and click Refresh to search again in default locations.
Location [/usr/src/kernel-44.4.59-server-] [Browse] [Refresh]
[Cancel] [Install]"
The square brackets above indicate (1) a scrollable data entry field and
(2) four buttons.
The location should be /usr/src/kernel-4.4.59-server-1.mga5 which is
from the package kernel-server-devel-4.4.59-1.mga5.
If the length of the field is a problem, you should be able to create
a symlink pointing to that directory, and use the symlink in the
vmware setup. Just have to remember to change the symlink when a new
kernel update is installed.
If that fails, it will require some debugging to find out what file
it's actually looking for.
Regards, Dave Hodgins
The correct path is displayed (one has to scroll horizontally to see it
all). I'm going to wait now until the Mageia sites are up and running. I'll
bet this has come up in the past.

Thank you.

Regards, Alan
--
Mageia 5.1 for x86_64, Kernel:4.4.59-desktop-1.mga5
KDE version 4.14.5 on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition.
Bit Twister
2017-04-16 12:41:07 UTC
Permalink
Post by Pinnerite
The correct path is displayed (one has to scroll horizontally to see it
all). I'm going to wait now until the Mageia sites are up and
running.
Packing, mirror and mirror status are up as is bugizilla. Forum is still down.
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